Chaos
Just like in the original story, a thousand years later, there may still be various kinds of "angel" Martial Soul on the Douluo Continent, but they are worlds apart from the supreme Six-Winged Angel. Their owners may not even have a concept of the so-called "Qian Clan" and instead be grateful to the Tang Sect and Shrek Academy.
This is the cruelest kind of destruction—making everything you have become nourishment for me, and then completely forgetting you.
In comparison, Qian Xunji now sees this kind of imprisonment research as "mild" and "inefficient."
Thinking of this, Qian Xunji's golden eyes grew even colder. The aura of light and holiness surrounding him already made him look unlike an ordinary person, although his occasional "outbursts" would make people overlook this fact.
Chapter 243 Chaos
The Spirit Hall's actions were breathtakingly fast.
Just as the aftershocks of the "Decapitation Operation" in Spirit City had not yet subsided, and the various forces on the continent were still in shock and chaos, a proclamation spread throughout the entire continent like a thunderclap:
The Spirit Hall is officially established— the Spirit Hall Empire!
More accurately, it is the "Spirit Theocracy," an unprecedented nation that completely integrates religious belief with secular power.
And the speed at which it expands is truly terrifying.
The Fasinuo Province and the Balak Kingdom, which bordered Spirit City, fell almost within a day of the declaration being issued and were incorporated into the territory of the Spirit Hall Empire.
This was not a brutal siege in the traditional sense. Wherever the Spirit Hall Empire's army went, it encountered almost no decent, organized, and tenacious resistance. Their process was more like a pre-arranged armed parade and power transfer. The army practically "passed through" the various towns and then smoothly completed the takeover.
Behind all of this lies the terrifying foundation built up over a thousand years by the Spirit Hall.
The Spirit Hall Branch, scattered throughout every village and town on the continent, have now become the most effective nodes of control. Soul Master and even commoners everywhere have long been accustomed to the existence and authority of the Spirit Hall.
When the Spirit Hall's flag was changed to the Imperial flag, for the common people, it was merely a change of name; their lives might even become "more orderly" due to more direct control.
Secondly, the Spirit Hall's years of "good deeds"—such as providing free Martial Soul awakening for commoners, distributing Soul Master subsidies, fighting against Fallen Soul Master, and mediating disputes—have now transformed into enormous political capital. In the eyes of many commoners and low-ranking Soul Master, being ruled by the Spirit Hall (now the Spirit Hall Empire) is far better than being ruled by the original noble lords or kingdom bureaucrats.
There was also the "decapitation plan," which resulted in the complete annihilation of the core members of the Heaven Dou Empire's royal family, the capture of the heir to the Star Luo Empire, and the imprisonment of leaders of top forces such as the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect School.
This plunged the two empires and their affiliated forces into a chaotic state of leaderlessness and individual conflict at the highest levels, making it impossible for them to organize an effective united resistance in the short term.
The Spirit Hall achieved the most efficient territorial annexation with minimal cost.
This terrifying, almost "pacified" pace of expansion finally served as a wake-up call, drenching the members of the Heaven Dou Royal Family and the grand dukes of various principalities who were still embroiled in power struggles.
Faced with the threat of annihilation, internal grudges seemed to be temporarily set aside.
The remaining princes of the Heaven Dou Royal Family and the rulers of the various duchies were forced to engage in emergency negotiations, attempting to reach a temporary reconciliation and alliance in order to unite and jointly resist the Spirit Hall Empire, a behemoth that had already bared its fangs.
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Based on their own strength, situation, and interests, various forces on the mainland quickly diverged into several distinct camps.
The resistance faction mainly consists of powerful and wealthy groups who are still unwilling to accept defeat and want to rebel.
For example, the remaining forces of the Star Luo Empire and the Heaven Dou Empire (mainly composed of some princes, border dukes, and hardliners in the military, fighting for the restoration of their kingdoms), and the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan (one of the Upper Three Sects, with considerable strength and a long-standing feud with the Spirit Hall; although the current leader, Yu Luomian, intends to join them, his prestige is insufficient to persuade the entire clan to submit, at most they can only act as internal agents)...
They either harbored deep hatred for the Spirit Hall, or possessed great strength and were unwilling to be subordinate to others, or they could not relinquish their imperial foundation to others.
For various reasons, they are the most resolute and core force resisting the Spirit Hall Empire, and are making a difficult attempt to unite and form an anti- Spirit Hall alliance. However, the lack of unified command and mutual trust is their fatal flaw, and they are constantly testing each other while cooperating.
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The defectors were pragmatic and shrewd individuals.
It mainly refers to small and medium-sized Soul Master sects and families.
Unlike the powerful and influential families mentioned above, who were originally the four major affiliated families of the Clear Sky Sect, or even weaker and lower-level ones, they depended on others for survival and had no particularly important treasures or interests. They adhered to the realistic belief of "if you can't beat them, join them." Knowing that they were powerless to contend with the Spirit Hall Empire, they thought it was better to submit as soon as possible than to be crushed. Perhaps they could still secure a place in the new order, preserve some of their interests, or even advance further.
Their defection, like snowflakes in Xue Beng, further accelerated the expansion of the Spirit Hall Empire and shook the resistance faction's resolve.
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Finally, there are those who remain neutral and those who engage in internal strife.
The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect is a typical example of this.
The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect is a sect formed by gathering various powerful individuals, with the Ning family, whose martial Martial Soul is Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, as its core.
Therefore, its internal problems are also significant.
The loyalty of those outside Soul Master varied, but in the past, they were suppressed by two Titled Douluo and promised benefits by the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect School, so they were naturally willing to serve the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.
But now, the fates of both Titled Douluo are unknown.
However, due to a flaw in their Martial Soul, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda Martial Soul can only be cultivated to the Soul Saint at most. Apart from Ning Fengzhi, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect only has one other Soul Saint, and he is also quite old, so he has not been able to gain any say in the matter.
Therefore, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect School is now severely divided.
The visiting Soul Master tended to either surrender or establish their own sects, aiming to seize the enormous wealth accumulated by the sects. They believed that under the overwhelming power of the Spirit Hall Empire, the hope of saving Ning Fengzhi and the others was slim, so it was more realistic to strive for the greatest benefit for themselves.
The Ning family's direct descendants and in-laws, forming a resistance faction, firmly advocated resisting the proposals of the outside Soul Master and had always wanted to rescue the sect leader and the two guardian Douluo. They were too deeply bound to the Ning family; their fates were intertwined, and they had no way out.
This severe internal strife paralyzed the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, a powerful sect that should have been the mainstay of the resistance, rendering it unable to respond effectively to the external situation and only able to continuously deplete its own resources in internal struggles.
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Heaven Dou City, Moonlight Pavilion.
This place, which is known as the ceremonial hall of the Heaven Dou Empire, is now shrouded in an invisible oppressive atmosphere.
The top-floor room, which belonged to the owner Tang Yuehua and was usually magnificent and brightly lit, was somewhat dim tonight. Most of the servants had been dismissed, leaving only her alone.
Upon learning of Xue Ye's sudden death, Tang Yuehua's usually well-maintained and dignified face instantly lost all color, turning ashen white. She changed her usual magnificent palace dress, which symbolized her status as the mistress of the Moonlight Pavilion, into a relatively simple dress, as if mourning for herself in advance.
She sat quietly by the window, gazing at the silent night outside, her eyes empty and filled with despair.
What will happen to a woman with no power or influence, but possessing stunning beauty and a vast fortune, after losing the protection of the supreme ruler?
As the owner of the Moonlight Pavilion, who had participated in the highest-level auctions of the Heaven Dou Empire many times and witnessed the dark side of countless powerful figures, Tang Yuehua knew all too well.
Those greedy eyes that covet her beauty, those hungry wolves that lust for the Moonlight Pavilion's wealth and influence, will soon tear off their hypocritical masks and pounce on her to shreds everything she has painstakingly built.
The Xue Ye was her last and most important protective talisman. Now, that talisman is gone.
As for her other trump cards, they had already been reduced to nothing one by one under the relentless pressure from the Spirit Hall.
My father, as the former sect leader of the Clear Sky Sect, was so angered by his second Tang Hao's actions that he died.
My elder Tang Xiao, is the current sect leader of the Clear Sky Sect. He disappeared without a trace many years ago and has probably already been killed by the Spirit Hall.
Tang Hao, who was once the famous Clear Sky Douluo, was ultimately publicly executed by the Spirit Hall and died a humiliating death.
The Emperor of the Heaven Dou Empire, Xue Ye, was her only support, but he too perished in this sudden storm.
It's all because of the Spirit Hall!
A deep-seated hatred surged within her.
It was the Spirit Hall that revealed the identity of my second brother's wife Ah Yin, Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast, which led to her death and the tragedy of my second brother's family. The Clear Sky Sect was forced to close its mountain, and my father died in resentment!
It was the Spirit Hall that harmed her elder brother, leaving his fate unknown!
The Spirit Hall executed her second brother in the most humiliating way, and even sent out invitations far and wide, as if they wanted the whole world to know!
The thought of that "celebration invitation letter" that had been sent to almost every prominent figure on the mainland, inviting them to witness Tang Hao's execution, made Tang Yuehua tremble with rage, her teeth grinding together.
Old and new grudges burned through her body like poisonous flames.
Her former elegance and composure, the aristocratic network and various circles she had painstakingly built, all seemed so pale and powerless in the face of absolute power and cruel fate.
She seemed to see the noose of fate slowly tightening around her fair neck.
Downstairs, the banquet hall, which was usually bustling with people, was now completely empty.
With the death of Xue Ye, the decline and even demise of the Moonlight Pavilion was inevitable.
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However, in this massive storm sweeping across the Heaven Dou Empire, those members of the royal family, especially the princes, were in a more perilous and helpless situation than Tang Yuehua and her Moonlight Pavilion.
Even Princess Xue Ke, who had always been pampered in the deep palace and as proud as an untainted Swan, now had a completely gloomy look in her eyes. Her usually clear and bright eyes, as beautiful as amethyst, now seemed to be covered with an impenetrable gray.
Her "good brothers," while vying for the precarious throne, all turned their attention to their younger sister.
In their eyes, Xue Ke was no longer a flesh-and-blood relative, but a valuable political bargaining chip, an excellent pawn to be used to win over powerful allies and stabilize the fragile resistance alliance.
"By arranging a marriage between Xue Ke and Duke Tiger Fierce, we can gain the support of tens of thousands of his elite troops!"
"If we can marry the Marquis Ghost Soul, the border defenses controlled by his family will completely fall to our side!"
"A marriage alliance with the remaining forces of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect might allow us to regain their financial support!"
Such a proposal was bluntly put forward at the surviving council of the royal family and clan, and quickly gained the approval of the majority. In the face of the "greater good" of the empire's survival (or rather, the survival of their own power), the personal wishes and happiness of a princess seemed so insignificant that they could be sacrificed without hesitation.
What made Xue Ke feel even more suffocated was that this decision had already been approved by the royal family.
At this moment, those elders who usually appear dignified and respectable are "screening" the best marriage partners for her, like evaluating goods, weighing which family can bring the greatest political and military benefits.
And the figure she could never forget— Li Bai, the brother who once flew before her on a sword, so free and unrestrained, leaving an indelible mark on her heart...
Naturally, he wasn't on any candidate list.
Leaving aside the fact that Li Bai participated in the Advanced Soul Master Tournament and has yet to return, his fate unknown.
Even if Li Bai were in Heaven Dou City, he wouldn't be included in the marriage alliance list. Li Bai is currently only Soul King and needs to be nurtured and grow. He can't maximize the benefits. Moreover, as everyone knows, he is the partner that Ning Fengzhi, the sect master of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, has been grooming for his daughter Ning Rongrong since childhood. It's impossible for them to have a marriage alliance.
Xue Ke clenched her fists, her nails digging deep into her palms, but she felt no pain. A tremendous sense of powerlessness and betrayal overwhelmed her.
For the first time, she realized with such clarity how fragile and ridiculous her noble princess status was in the face of real power. It not only failed to protect her, but instead became a shackle that imprisoned her and pushed her into the abyss.
She was like a carefully dressed lamb about to be sacrificed, awaiting an unknown and terrible fate.
That girlish longing for love and the future is crumbling into dust in the face of cold political reality.
Xue Ke couldn't help but miss her older brother Xue Qinghe, who had always doted on her. Perhaps things would have been different if he were still here...
Thoughts churned in her mind, countless ideas of resistance or escape flashing through her mind, but in the end, Xue Ke could only lower her eyelashes helplessly. She knew clearly that it was all just futile fantasy.
The royal guards around her were responsible for protecting her personal safety, but they would never disobey the orders of the royal family and the future emperor, much less help her resist this political marriage. On the contrary, on that day, they would only become the most "dutiful" guards, ensuring that she was "safely" "escorted" to the territory of her marriage partner to complete this cold transaction.
This realization sent a chill down her spine.
Her thoughts drifted involuntarily to the girl named Xiao Qiao, the girl who had been brought back by her brother Xue Qinghe and was nominally her "sister".
If Xiao Qiao were in that situation, those old fogies from the royal family would probably have a completely different attitude, wouldn't they?
Xue Ke's lips curled into an extremely bitter smile.
She envied Xiao Qiao.
This envy didn't stem from the other person's potential job or status, but rather from Xiao Qiao herself.